Saturday 27 July
Local pop punk pioneers Cordiform launched new mini-festival, Pizza Planet over the weekend and we were there to witness its christening into the scene. With the genre currently transitioning through a boom of nostalgia and next-generation greats on a world scale, in Australia, these bands tend to get shunned and forgotten about amongst the thriving metalcore scene. This new event however, aims to provide a space for local pop punkers to unite and bond over music that keeps the youth in them young at heart. With fans coming through not just from Melbourne but Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and even Perth, the event’s reach had already gained plenty of momentum.
The afternoon kicked off with Melbourne/Naarm newcomers Tiny Red Houses, who made their live debut that very day. What was witnessed there and then was an act bouncing on stage with strong game and high-energy, contagious pop punk that sounded like an act ready to take on the world. Vocalist Nat Simms shines with a youthful burst of energy that mirrors a young Tonight Alive and current pop punk songstress Mikaila Delgado (Yours Truly). Powering through her debut together with her bandmates, Tiny Red Houses became a hot entity to watch that day. With catchy tracks like latest single ‘More‘, ‘Runaway‘ and a Post Malone cover under their belt, these guys and gal won’t stay an opening act for long.
Keep your eyes glued to PitPass over the coming weeks for our exclusive chat with Tiny Red Houses as we learnt a little more about them and what they’re all about.
Their strong entrance felt almost intimidating to every other band on the lineup, it deemed quite a challenge to follow that up. But if any band can do it, fellow Melbournites All Regards were up to that challenge. Entering their set with last year’s breakthrough hit, ‘SOS‘, vocalist Jeremy Allen led the band in with high-energy and fruitful rock tunes. The band offered plenty of nostalgia with a rendition of late 90s hit Eagle-Eye Cherry’s ‘Save Tonight’ (to be honest, at 4:30 in the afternoon, you probably needed a few more beers in you to have a mosh).
What stood out with All Regards though, was the live debut of new single ‘Let Me Down‘. This took the afternoon down a soulful reawakening for everyone in the room with guitarist Stefen Sepulveda joining Allen through powerful lyrics. Having recently taken some time away from music must’ve proved effective because All Regards sound like they’ve fully blossomed into the alternative/rock unit they want to be.
Want more from All Regards? Stay tuned to PitPass when we drop our rad chat with the band, straight from Pizza Planet!
Next came indie rockers Grass Stains and while I wasn’t overly familiar with their music, their quirky blend of pop sensibility piqued a few ears in the venue that afternoon. It did feel like many fans in the room were anticipating the return of local pop punk sensations Paperweight though, who surprisingly played early that evening. Having not played a gig since their appearance with Punk Rock Factory last year, the band still showed tenacity and the ability to play to an almost full room at Stay Gold.
Led by vocalist Haris Dillinger, the four-piece had the crowd dancing their way through a short but ultra-memorable set featuring fan favourites ‘Tracks‘, ‘Whisper Games‘ and treating every ear in the room to a few unreleased songs. ‘Heavy Glow‘ in particular sounded like a strong progression of the band’s punchy, vibrant soundscape that we’ve come to familiarise ourselves with. The onstage camaraderie that this band bring, especially between Haris and guitarists Tom and Luana comes across as so natural and it was pretty darn obvious that Paperweight’s presence is sorely missed in the scene. Let’s hope a new single is on the horizon soon.
Adelaide’s Down and Out kept the party going with their slice of crunchy, explosive pop punk. With guitarist Blake-Lee Danher out of action that day, the band still sparked plenty of action as a cohesive unit. Offering up angsty, infectious attitude with their epic tune ‘Lost [In Exposure]‘, vocalist Luke Ganeo showed off big personality and a stage presence that gave the band some spunk. Having waited so long to catch Down And Out live, the boys didn’t disappoint and I cannot wait to see if they make it up my way to Brisvegas land one day.
Headstrong brought some good ol’ chug and rhythmic breakdowns to the night, delivering a tasty, slightly heavier blend of pop punk debauchery that left fans keen for a mosh. While arguably not quite as catchy as some earlier bands, this Sydney outfit proved their worth with rugged melodies, demonstrating that distinctiveness is key to standing out in this genre.
Drastic Park hit the stage next and absolutely owned their place in the local circuit as a prominent upcomer. While I’ve seen the band a few times before, it was my first time witnessing these guys live with new guitarist Elise Feisbourg. The boys have always shown fans a good time as a trio (blink-182 from Wish if you wanna call it that). However, Elise’s addition definitely gave the Drastic Park experience a more refined sound. This act now play like a well-oiled pop punk machine and they’re more than ready to dominate on much larger stages and audiences.
They did maintain that blink-182 cover act image intact though, as the band pushed through with a cover of ‘Not Now‘. Does it ever get old? Absolutely not!
The festival curators and headliners, Cordiform, made their entrance, giving fans what they’d been waiting all day for. Delivering a set full of emotionally-charged pop punk anthems, vocalist James Hibble captivated the audience and showed full gratitude for everyone’s support. With James appropriately dressed as the Pizza Planet guy from Toy Story, with his bandmates decked out in glossy silver, aluminium-like outfits, Cordiform showed pop punk fans a good time with their hit ‘Dreamland‘ a particular highlight.
As Hibble showed his appreciation and thanks to the crowd for the support of Pizza Planet’s debut year, I could not have agreed more when he stated, “Australia needs this”. By “this”, I’m referring to the notion of having an inclusive space for pop punk bands to thrive and connect.
Boutique festivals and genre-specific lineups are all the rage in 2024, proving huge success for Destroy All Lines’ newest event, New Bloom Festival earlier in the year. The metalcore circuit also has its space with Alphawolf’s own CVLTFEST (now in its second year). Following this 2024 debut however, Pizza Planet definitely has the potential to be as successful and provides that backline support for upcoming and established pop punk to unite and thrive in this country. We couldn’t be more stoked to have had a part in its first event — Pizza Planet can only get bigger from here.
Review & Photos By Tamara May
